When to run skimmer?

Is it true that you should not run your protein skimmer while you are doing your initial tank cycle? I was told that if you run the skimmer from the beginning that it will kill off all the nitrafying bacteria that you are to cultivate during the cycle.

Thanks for the help.

 

i dont run skimmers during cycles.... for that reason...doesnt make much since to be skimming out bacteria that your waiting a month to establish

 

I usually run it at the ferry end of the cycle to break the skimmer in for when I get my first fish

 

If you are doing a fish less cycle then no need but if you have a fish then I say yes.

 

I'll be doing a fishless cycle.

 

Nitrifying bacteria are not free swimming so the skimmer does not remove them.
Skimmers remove organics from the water.
To me it depends on if you are curing newly acquired live rock during the cycle or if you are cycling previoulsy cured rock. If its new rock I run the skimmer to pull much of the dying material that comes off the rock during the curing process, if its rock that has been cured already it doesn't make much difference either way but can't hurt things. The nitrogen cycle will find enough food regardless of the skimmer.

 

contrary to popular belief you should only run your skimmer on certain days.
There is one little rule that you have to remember...

only and always run your skimmer on week days that end with "y."



you are worrying unnecessarily, you skimmer might remove waste that would turn in to ammonia, but its not gonna stop your cycle.

 

Thank you all for the great advice!

 

i let my skimmer run during the cycle and my cycle took 6 weeks, note the skimmer was turned off at night so i could sleep.

 

+1, I ONLY run my skimmer on days that end with 'y'. If you are able to run it more than this, please let me know how.